The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
The present disclosure is intended to address a plurality of limitations and shortcomings involving present day ad hoc wireless communications systems, and particularly when such systems are employed on a battlefield. Directional communications systems are desired for their low-probability of intercept and detection (LPI/LPD), reduced jamming sensitivity as well as their substantially lower power/SWaP, which is driven by the directional emission capabilities. However, dynamic conditions in the field such as natural topological/terrain features, or even large man-made structures (e.g., buildings, bridges, etc.), can often result in the directional system repeatedly breaking lock and losing the existing communications link.
Presently, low-cost directional systems can lose lock when subjected to even minor disturbances, which results in high link failure rates. High cost, large custom systems have been demonstrated between mobile platforms. These systems typically make use of a mirror and gimbal system. However, such systems still frequently struggle to maintain the communications link during maneuvering. Difficulty in maintaining the link is often experienced in bad weather as well. As a result, the use of such systems in the field is quite limited, in part due to the cost (>$100k) and size of the mirror and gimbal system.
Omnidirectional communication systems are typically used to ensure consistent lock, despite their high power, large size, and high visibility (due to emissions) on the battlefield. Omnidirectional systems are essentially beacons, which means the signal can be observed by any actor with receiving gear. Reception and observation/analysis of the transmitted omnidirectional signal can provide a means to detect the real time location of the vehicle or individual from which the transmissions originate. The net result is that warfighters (i.e., military personnel) are often in the situation of possessing unusable communication systems due to issues of maneuverability, inclement weather, jamming or detection risk, despite the potential significant benefit of the information transferred.